True Distortion
by Teh Mub
Summary: Iris Farr transfers from America to Hogwarts in her fifth year and is engulfed in the world of magic. When Hogwarts decides to put on a little show, Iris learns more about the blonde-haired Slytherin than she ever thought possible.
1. The Beginning

_Dear readers,_

_I want to thank you for reading my little experiment. This story is a major work in progress and I am posting chunks of the story for helpful feedback. Please leave me a little review on what you think about it, and encourage others to check it out as well. I would greatly appreciate it. =]_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing except Iris and the plot._

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Iris slowly made her way through the narrow aisle, peering through the glass doors into the occupied compartments. Finally, she found a vacant one and squeezed into it with her heavy suitcase rolling behind her. She lifted Silverstreak's cage to the shelf above the seat, then breathed deeply and used all of her strength to lift her suitcase up and push it next to the sleepy owl's cage. With a sigh, she plopped down onto the seat and stared out the window. She began to lose her mind to thought when she heard a rustling of pants and heavy footsteps. She glanced over just in time to see a set of piercing, gray eyes meet with hers. She blinked her eyes, and they were gone. Iris shook her head, wondering if what she had just seen was merely an illusion, when three figures appeared at the door.

They were two boys and a girl: the girl, over-shadowed by the other two, had chestnut brown hair and eyes to match, holding a hissing, spitting carrier. The taller of the two boys stood out with his bright red hair and freckly cheeks, but the other boy had nothing on him. His eyes were a deep emerald green, his hair onyx black and unnaturally untidy. Hidden behind his hair was a lightning-shaped scar etched into his forehead.

'I think I've heard of this boy!' Iris thought to herself. 'I've only seen him on the front cover of every issue of the Daily Prophet.'

"I'm sorry." The girl spoke up, interrupting Iris's thoughts. "Do you mind if we sit here with you?"

She watched Iris nervously. Then Iris grinned politely.

"No, of course not! Not at all!"

The girl grinned as the boys nodded in thanks. "Thank you!"

She sat next to Iris while the other two sat across from them. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the girl studying her curiously. Iris turned her attention over to her, and she blushed.

"My apologies!" She blurted. "But you look our age, and yet I don't recognize you."

Iris nodded. "It's alright. I'm from America."

The girl looked both shocked and delighted while the boys just listened curiously.

"There's not much in wizarding education in America, so I was taught privately until Professor Dumbledore found me and told me about Hogwarts." She finished with her little story and the girl grinned.

"Oh, that's wonderful! Well, welcome to England!"

Iris nodded. "Thank you very much."

"So, how old are you?" the dark-haired boy asked. "Are you a fifth year?"

"Well, I'm fifteen, so…I guess that makes me a fifth year."

"Are you getting sorted today with the first-years?" the girl piped in.

"No, Professor Dumbledore sorted me when he visited my parents and me after we moved up here. I think the hat said I was in Gryffindor…"

"Oh, great!" The redhead grinned. "That's our house! The best one, too!"

"Wonderful! I can't wait, then!"

"Oh!" The dark-haired boy exclaimed. "We haven't properly introduced ourselves!"

"Of course, nor have I! I'm so sorry!" She started. "I'm Iris."

"I'm Hermione," the girl spoke.

"My name's Ron," said the redhead.

"And I am Harry. Harry Potter." The dark-haired boy seemed a little embarrassed to introduce himself.

Iris nodded. "Yes, I have heard of you, Harry. Some pretty crazy stuff going around about you."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'm pretty used to it now."

Hermione watched him sadly, then turned to Iris.

"Whatever you have heard about Harry's sanity, don't believe one bit of it. The Ministry of Magic is in denial that the Dark Lord is back, so they're trying to make people believe Harry is delusional." She sighed as Harry stared out the window.

"A bunch of bloody cowards." Ron shook his head in disgust.

Iris gave a half-smile and turned to Harry, who was trying to hide his smile.

"Don't worry, Harry." He brought his attention to her. "You've got someone else on your side."

He smiled in relief. "Thank you. Very much."

She nodded in assurance as a woman with a cart appeared in front of the door.

The three friends had gotten their helpings of sweets and Harry, against her pleas, bought some for Iris as well.

"Thank you so much, Harry!" She gleamed as she inspected the every-flavored beans.

"It's no problem at all. You'll need your money for Hogsmeade." Harry nibbled on a Cauldron Cake.

She nodded. "Oh, that'll be fun. I can't wait."

"You watch. Someday, my brothers will have their own shop in Hogsmeade!" Ron said excitedly.

She looked at him curiously, and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Ron's twin brothers, Fred and George, are great tricksters and experiment with fake wands and sweets."

Iris grinned. "Oh, that's cool! I bet they're a lot of fun to have around!"

Ron snorted. "Yeah, when you're not the one they're pulling pranks on."

Hermione grinned. "But they're the best of friends. You'll never see one without the other."

Iris laughed. "That sounds like a few friends I know."

The three looked at her, looked at each other, and chuckled.

"Only took you a few seconds to figure that out." She chuckled with them.

"A step-up from their usual stupidity, I'd say."

Iris's eyes darted up to the direction of the cold, drawling voice to again meet with the very same silver eyes.

"Oh, sod off, Malfoy," Ron answered coldly. "You know Hermione makes better scores than you."

The blonde boy snorted. "Only because she's a kiss-up to the professors."

The two goons behind the boy named Malfoy shook violently with laughter.

"Hey there, Potter." Malfoy taunted. "Shouldn't you be in the mad house? Not very safe for us if you're here screaming about your darling Cedric."

Ron leapt up with his wand at Malfoy's throat. Malfoy smirked.

"Like you could hurt me, Weasel," he jeered.

"That's enough, Malfoy." Harry was up standing beside Ron.

"Aw, did I touch a nerve, Potter?" the blonde smirked.

"Get out, Malfoy. Before you earn yourself detention. Don't forget: Ron and Hermione are prefects now."

Malfoy leered darkly. "As am I, Potter. And I could give you detention for insubordination against a prefect."

"Good luck with that," Ron snorted, his wand still at Malfoy's throat.

The mysterious silver eyes shot over to Ron's and narrowed. Ron stared unblinkingly, never faltering in his stance, until Malfoy scoffed.

"Like I don't have better things to do than waste my time with traitors and Mudbloods," Malfoy spoke as he retreated back into the corridor. "You'll be seeing me, Potter." His eyes flashed back to Iris's for a brief second, and with that, he took his stride down the corridor, his giants loggering behind him.

Harry and Ron sighed and plopped back down onto the seat. Hermione glared out the glass door in the direction that Malfoy left.

"He's a cowardly git," Ron grumbled, slouching in the seat.

"Who is he?" Iris asked vaguely, imagining those cold, gray eyes in her mind.

"Draco Malfoy," Hermione said sourly. "He's a Slytherin, and for good reason. His family has strong ties with the Dark Lord, since his father is a Death Eater."

Iris made a face at her last statement. "Death Eaters? Followers of the Dark Lord?"

Hermione nodded. "Precisely."

"He's been a bloody git to us since first year." Ron rolled his eyes.

"What a jerk," Iris said, and then remembered something he said.

'Like I don't have better things to do than waste my time with traitors and Mudbloods,' the words echoed in her head.

Who was he referring to?

"Why did he call you guys traitors and Mudbloods?"

Ron and Hermione looked away.

"He called Ron a traitor and Hermione a Mudblood," Harry piped in. "Ron is pureblood–all wizarding relatives–and associates with Muggle borns and half-bloods. Hermi–"

"I am Muggle born," Hermione interrupted. "and Mudblood is a derogatory term for Muggle born people…a terrible thing to say…"

"Well, what do you expect from Malfoy?" Ron mumbled.

Hermione shrugged and looked at Iris.

"I'm Muggle born, too, Hermione," She spoke quietly.

All three pairs of eye were on her.

"Really?" Hermione whispered.

She nodded.

_

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Please review! =]_


	2. The Casting

_Disclaimer: I own nothing except Iris and the plot._

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Upon arrival to Hogwarts, the days started to fly for Iris as she familiarized herself with all of her professors and classmates. She never seemed to get lost, thanks to her ever-helpful friends, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and she never seemed to have a bad day when she was with them. Until after a week into the year...

She sat quietly, mindlessly toying with her fork. She watched it twirl around in her fingers and gave a heavy sigh. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at her bewilderingly, mesmerized by the shining fork in her hand. Then they looked at each other, and nodded.

Hermione turned back to her. "Iris?" No answer. "Iris? Hello?" Still no answer.

She leaned forward towards Iris and snapped her fingers in front of her face. "Iris!"

Iris jumped. "Huh? What? What'd I do?"

Hermione giggled lightly. "Nothing, Iris. We were just watching you and you seem so distracted." Iris sighed. "What is it?"

Iris stared down at her plate and grumbled. "Potions."

The other three nodded in complete understanding, and Iris looked up at them. "Is it always so ridiculously draining?"

"As long as Snape's the Potions Master, we can pretty much expect it to be anything but awesome," Ron sighed.

"Ugh, but he's so prejudice!" She threw her fork down. "I don't get it! I've done nothing wrong against him, and it's as if I'm the worst troublemaker in this school!"

"It's nothing against you, Iris. Believe me," Harry said. "He's never warmed up to Gryffindors. He was a Slytherin boy when he was a student here, and he's the Head of the House, so he favors them above the rest. And naturally, we have to get stuck in his Potions class with his House."

"Harry is the one that gets mistreated the most by Snape," Hermione said quietly. Iris looked at her. "It's because Harry's father picked on Snape a lot when they were kids, and Snape has never let go of his grudge."

Harry looked away and sighed heavily. Iris watched him.

"I'm sorry, Harry."

He looked up at her. "You have no need to be. Don't worry about it."

She continued to look at him with sad eyes, and he flashed her a little smile. Instinctively, her cheeks warmed and her heart pounded in response, and she gave a small smile in return.

Harry leaned forward to say more, but the Great Hall was silenced when Headmaster Dumbledore stood up at the Head table. He raised his arms for the students' attention.

"Good evening, everyone. I hope dinner was very fulfilling for all of you." There were pleased murmurs from the four tables. "Thanks to our newest addition to the student body—" He flashed a smile in Iris's direction, and she blushed. "—I have decided to do something a little different this year. I am aware of the outstanding musical and performing talents we have amongst our students, so I have decided to put on a show for Christmas."

The Great Hall was suddenly filled with excited chattering. The four Gryffindors looked at each other.

"What kind of show?" Iris inquired.

The other three shrugged.

As if to answer Iris's whispered question, Dumbledore continued. "The show will be a musical, well-known across the nation, and across the ocean to neighboring nations. The Phantom of the Opera!"

Iris gasped in delight. "I love that musical! Oh, I've always wanted to be in it!"

Harry glanced at her and smiled at her excitement.

"The casting of this show will be done very shortly." Dumbledore held up several little silver spheres, which immediately began to hover above his hand. Everyone watched them with captivated eyes.

Dumbledore glanced at the spheres, then back to the students. "If a silver ball appears in front of you, you have been casted. Once you touch it, it will emit a small scrap of parchment with your character name written on it. Good luck!"

Dumbledore released the spheres and they immediately shot across the room, flying over everyone's heads and diving down toward the tables. They glided through the air throughout the room, as if scanning for the right person. Then one by one, they all dove down towards unsuspecting students. They appeared in front of young first-years and mature seventh-years, Gryffindors and Slytherins, every shape and size. Papers began spitting out of the spheres and people began to cheer and groan.

A little ball appeared in front of Seamus, and he poked it cautiously. Out shot a bit of parchment and as he caught it, he spoke the words, "Joseph Boo-qwet?"

Iris laughed. "It's Joseph Buquet, with a silent "T". It's French."

Seamus looked at her. "Why French? Why not English?"

Neville snickered.

"Because the play is set in Paris, France. The theatre is called the Opéra Populaire."

Harry watched as Iris began explaining the story in great detail. He watched her animated face and smiled to himself. Then his line of vision was obscured by a tiny floating ball. He groaned.

"Oh, great. More spotlight," he grumbled.

Iris turned to see the floating sphere in front of Harry.

"Harry, that's great! Open it! See who you got!"

He sighed and touched the ball with his finger, and caught the falling paper between his hands.

"Vicomte Raoul de Chagny?"

Iris squealed in delight. "Raoul! You're the hero! You save Christine from the Phantom!"

Harry stared at the paper. "Then who is Christine?"

A silver sphere appeared in front of Iris at that moment, and she prodded it hesitantly. A piece of parchment flew out of it and fell into her cupped hands.

"I am."

Harry shot his head up and looked at Iris. She continued to stare at the paper in her hands, not daring to breath. "I am Christine…"

Hermione hugged her. "Iris, that's wonderful! You got the lead role!"

Iris could only stare at the paper with pure disbelief. "I…I am Christine…"

"But isn't that a good thing?" Hermione looked worried.

Iris's head slowly rose to turn towards Hermione. "It's an incredible thing. I have always wanted to play Christine. She is my absolute favorite character! In the movie, her voice was so beautiful and I wanted to be as good of a singer as she is! Christine was one of the reasons I wanted to be become an actress!"

Without knowing it, her excitement got the best of her and she found herself on her feet, shouting at the top of her lungs. The entirety of the Great Hall was staring in her direction, some intrigued, some annoyed. She looked around embarrassedly, and immediately met eyes with the mysterious Slytherin across the room. His silver orbs watched her with interest, and her heart stopped. He smirked at her, and she immediately sat back down and buried her head in the table.

The other three watched her curiously and looked like they were about to speak, but Dumbledore cleared his throat to quiet the room.

"As I call you by your character name, would you please come to the front of the room?"

Iris sighed. _Great. Now that my face has gone redder than a cherry tomato._

Dumbledore called out, "Joseph Buquet!"

Seamus jumped up and sauntered to the front, exchanged words with Dumbledore, and turned around to face the House tables.

"Monsieur Lefevre!"

A sixth-year Ravenclaw stood up and made his to the front, and Dumbledore called out more people.

"Monsieur Reyer!"

Professor Flitwick stood.

"Meg Giry!"

Luna Lovegood floated up to the front.

Dumbledore continued to call for people, and soon the front of the room was filling with cast members. Fred and George skipped to the front together as Dumbledore called for Firmin and Andre, followed by Lee Jordan as Piangi and Lavender Brown as Carlotta. When Dumbledore called for Madame Giry, the entire room gasped in surprise as Professor McGonagall stood.

"Wow. That should be interesting." Ron chuckled.

"Raoul de Chagny!"

Harry sighed and looked at the other three. "Well, here goes."

He stood up and walked up to the front, haunted by silent murmurs from every table.

"Of course he got a part…"

"Nothing's complete without the wonderful Harry Potter…"

Harry tried his best to ignore the comments and approached Dumbledore, who welcomed him with a warm smile.

"Congratulations, Harry. I know you will do well."

"Thanks, headmaster." He nodded and stood next to the Weasley twins, who began nudging him and smirking.

"Christine Daaé!"

Iris took a deep breath and gave a big smile as she rose and marched up to Dumbledore and the rest of the cast. Dumbledore returned her smile with a grin of his own.

"Congratulations, Iris. I thought you would be happy with this part."

"Oh, I am, headmaster. But did you pre-decide the cast on your own?"

"Oh, no. I had no part in this. The spheres chose for themselves."

Iris looked at him curiously.

"But I had a feeling that they would choose you for this role." He smiled, watching her over his half-moon spectacles.

She grinned in return and bowed her head. "Thank you so much."

She had a light skip in her step as she headed towards Harry and the twins. Harry exchanged smiles with her and they both turned to face the room.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "And last, but most certainly not least, the Phantom himself!"

Everyone spun their heads around the room to see who would stand, but no one did. Murmurs began again.

Iris scanned the room for the missing cast member, and stopped abruptly when a blonde-haired figure rose slowly and stiffly, and sauntered to the front of the room. The entire room quieted immediately in utter surprise. Iris couldn't find her heart again.

Malfoy exchanged nods with Dumbledore briefly and made his way to the other side of the line. Iris continued to watch him with bewildered eyes, and he shot a glance toward her. She shook her head with a jolt and faced the room again, trying to restart her heart.

Harry turned to look at Iris, and they exchanged annoyed glances.

"Wonderful," Harry whispered under his breath.

Iris gave a sigh of agreement and looked away, picturing those icy, gray eyes in her mind.

_

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Please review! =]_


	3. The Meeting

_Disclaimer: I own nothing except Iris and the plot._

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Draco strolled the Hogwarts corridors with his usual pompous attitude, his mind miles away, lingering on the recent events in the Great Hall.

_What the bloody hell is this Phantom deal?_ He asked himself. _I know Mum is always pestering Dad about going to London to see it, but I don't get what all the fuss is about._

His thoughts were interrupted by the faintest voice floating down the hall. He moved closer with slow steps and deduced that it was coming from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

_Oh bugger. That bloody ghost is probably up to no good again and causing more trouble…That's my job._

As he stood listening intently, he discovered it was someone singing softly.

_I know that girl can't sing worth a dung bomb._

He advanced towards the bathroom and began to hear words.

_You have stolen my heart…_

The young female's voice came out soft and pure, and Draco was immediately entranced, suddenly dying to know whose voice that was and who had taken her heart. It shook him to the very core. He made his way to the door of the bathroom and gently nudged it open for a peek. He caught a glimpse of chocolate brown hair and from the side of her face, Draco recognized her as the new girl.

_Iris Hart, I think her name is. Who would've guess she'd have a voice like that? I guess that's why she got the lead. Whatever her name was…_

Draco stopped his thoughts because he could hear her voice echo through the room again. He noticed faint instrumentals in the background and realized she had some Muggle electronic thing playing music. He had heard about computers, but he thought that contraption was too small to be a computer.

Iris continued to sing:

_And from the ballroom floor, we are in celebration_

_ One good stretch before our hibernation_

_ Our dreams assured and we all will sleep well_

_ Sleep well…_

Draco couldn't figure out what she was singing about, but he knew he wanted to hear more.

_You have stolen_

_ You have stolen_

_ You have stolen my heart_

_ Watch you spin around in your highest heels_

_ You are the best one of the best ones_

_ We all look like we feel_

He watched her spin around the room and couldn't fight the smile appearing on his face.

_You have stolen my_

_ You have stolen my_

_ You have stolen my heart_

She let the final note ring out and face with the music, then smiling to herself she moved to her laptop and closed the lid. The sound of clapping behind her nearly made her jump out of her skin. She spun around and glowered when she noticed who her audience was. Draco slowly moved toward her, still clapping, flashing her a smug smile. She narrowed her eyes.

"That's quite a voice you've got, milady."

Iris scoffed. "Thanks, but I wasn't asking for your opinion."

"Ooh, a feisty one, aren't you?" he said as he pocketed his hands. "Though I shouldn't be surprised. You are American, after all."

"Glad you noticed." She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest. "Look, what do you want?"

"I just happened to noticed you in here and thought I would formally introduce myself."

"I know who you are. You can skip the pleasantries."

"Oh, I see the adored Golden Trio has told you about me already."

"Yeah, after you barged into our compartment on the train."

"Pfft, you liked it."

She ignored his comment and returned to her laptop.

"So what did Potty and the Weasel tell you?"

Without looking back, she retorted, "That you're a right, foul git."

Draco snorted. "I'd bet all my Galleons that comment came from Weasley."

She turned to glare at him. "I don't think it matters considering it's true."

Slightly taken aback, he said, "In all honesty, madam, I don't think you have any place to judge me or what I do. You've only been here a week."

She took a small step, staring him square in the eyes. "Trust me, I know enough about you. The things you say, the people you know, your family's involvement with Voldemort…"

Draco's eyes flashed and he stepped towards her. "That is none of your concern."

Iris stepped closer. "It is when it affects me and my friends. And this affects everyone in the world, Wizards and Muggles."

"I think you would do well, Miss Hart, to stay out of this. Lest you get yourself into trouble."

She lifted her face to his. "Is that a threat, Malfoy?"

"It could be."

"You would hurt a woman?" She took a step towards him.

He stepped closer. "Only if she gets in my way."

Another step. "You're a real gentleman."

Another. "I do try."

They were nose to nose now.

"It's atrocious how you treat Muggle borns."

"It's not my fault they've got dirt in their blood."

Iris was seething. She hissed, "Our blood is no different than yours. Just because your family inbred to keep your blood 'pure' does not make you better than me."

She spat out the last words and stormed off. Draco stood there, slightly stunned. His brain had left him temporarily and he paused to process what had just happened.

_So wait, then she's a Mud—I mean, Muggle born?_

He stood there, dumbfounded, until his senses returned, and he walked slowly out of the bathroom.

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_The song is Stolen by Dashboard Confessional._

_Please review! =]_


	4. The Rehearsal

_Disclaimer: I own nothing except Iris and the plot._

_

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_

Rehearsals began immediately following the casting of the show. They began with a run-through of the script, followed by music rehearsals and stage blocking. Everyone was measured for costumes and a set was already being built. Dumbledore felt it would be more enjoyable for everyone to work manually rather than just conjure a set by magic. The special effects were to be done solely by magic.

They worked every week night after dinner, perfecting the show. The weekend was a relief for Iris; the role of the leading lady took a lot out of her. She made her way down to the Common Room one late morning and was soon joined by Harry.

"Morning, Iris." He grinned.

"Morning, Harry. How'd you sleep?"

"Very well, thank you." He held the door open for her as they ventured into the castle. "I trust you slept well, too."

"Oh yes. I always get a great amount of sleep on the weekends."

Harry smiled. "Hungry? I think Ron and Hermione are already in the Great Hall."

"Well then, let's join them!"

They raced each other to the Great Hall and enjoyed a good meal and a great chat with the rest. They all began to leave and Iris started making her way to the other side of the castle.

"Hey, Iris!"

She turned to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione approaching. "What's up?"

"We're going to Hogsmeade for the day and coming back for dinner. Want to join us?"

"Oh, I'd love to, Harry, but I've got some stuff to look up in the library. Maybe I'll catch up with guys later."

"That's alright. Good luck in the library."

"Thanks. Have fun!"

They gave their assurances and scurried off to the front gate.

Iris turned and pondered for a moment. _Now, where is the library again?_

_

* * *

Hmm, it's worth a shot._

Iris turned the corner and entered the library, giving a polite nod to Madame Pince, who eyed her suspiciously, curtly nodded back, and went back to sorting books.

She wandered through the aisles, scanning the shelves for something interesting. _Come on. They've got to have them somewhere._

At that moment, Draco walked into the library, looking for something mischievous to do. He sighed with boredom as he meandered around. Then a scent caught his attention, and he smirked.

_I'd know that perfume anywhere._ He immediately began searching each aisle eagerly and almost let out a chuckle when he caught sight of that chocolate brown hair. _Oh, this'll be fun._

Iris carefully scanned the books on the last shelf in the library and huffed. _You've got to be kidding me. An entire library full of the most random books, and no mangas. Ugh._

"Looking for something?" A sultry voice whispered in her ear.

Iris screamed and spun around swiftly to shoot daggers to the highly entertained ignoramus in front of her. Madame Pince shot her head towards them and narrowed her eyes. Iris smiled apologetically and turned back to Draco.

"I will punch you in the face, Malfoy. Don't think I won't."

He chuckled to himself. "I'd to see you try, Mudblood."

She grimaced, then let out an annoyed sigh. "What do you want?"

"Don't you think we should be running lines, Miss Daaé?" She blushed at this. "I mean, you could certainly use the practice." Malfoy snorted.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Unless I am mistaken, _monsieur_, you are the one with little to no stage experience. You should be worrying about your own practice."

"Oh, my apologies!" He replied acidly. "I thought maybe the adored actress of America would be able to find just a pinch of time in her ridiculously busy schedule to assist a poor, inexperienced chap like myself."

She exhaled, her temper rising. "Maybe if you refrained from such rude, biting remarks, then I just might consider practicing with you! Haven't you heard the saying, 'You can catch more flies with sugar than you can with vinegar'?"

"Is that some hick phrase that only barbaric Americans know?"

Iris squeezed her eyes shut, and spun around toward the exit. Draco caught her fleeting hand in a flash.

"Kidding. Only kidding." He watched her face.

She studied him carefully. _Hmm. He seems sincere enough. _She sighed. "Fine. I'll run lines with you, but only if you keep your snide remarks to yourself. Got it?"

"Only if you do the same," he answered immediately.

She rolled her eyes. "Deal." Then she suddenly felt herself being tugged out of the library and outside to the castle grounds. He released her hand as they reached the cooling shade of a nearby tree, and she leaned against the tree to catch her breath. Then she stopped.

"You do realize that all of our lines together are sung, right?"

He turned to face her.

"None of our scenes together have any speaking lines. They're all sung. That's why it's called an opera."

He pondered for a second. "Hmm. Then I guess it's a good thing I brought this."

As if out of thin air, which it probably was, he pulled forth a small stereo and a disk of the accompaniment music.

"Malfoy is prepared for once. Isn't that a miracle?" He sneered.

Iris rolled her eyes. "Alright, whatever. Let's start."

They practiced together under the sun, going back and forth about which line went where and the right blocking at the right time. Draco frequently attempted to make eye contact with her, but Iris, out of shyness, kept her eyes down most of the time. She sang quietly along with the music, oblivious to Draco's small smiles as he listened intently. He answered her with his smooth, low voice and she was taken aback. _I didn't know he could sing. He's quite good, actually..._

Their voices melded together well and created a beautiful harmony, though it was never noticed by either of them_. _After some time, Iris felt a little worn out so they turned off the music and plopped onto the ground. Iris leaned up against the tree and pulled her knees up to her chest. Draco sat across from her and stretched out his long legs. He conjured two bottles of water and handed one to her.

"Thanks," she said, unscrewing the cap and taking a small gulp.

"I've got a question." She turned her attention to Draco. "If you're from America, then how did you get here?"

"Dumbledore found me, " she said simply. "Before, my dad's friend taught me."

"Are you the only witch in your family? What about brothers and sisters?"

"I have a brother, Riley, but he's Muggle like our parents. I'm the only one."

"What did they think when they found out you had powers?" He wasn't sure why he kept asking her so many questions, but he couldn't stop them.

"My parents were pretty surprised, but they were happy for me. Riley thought it was the coolest thing in the world." She smiled, remembering her big brother.

"So he wasn't scared?"

"Oh, definitely not! He asked me to turn our cat Jasper into a doormat!"

Draco gave an easy chuckle and Iris smiled with him. Soon, they noticed the sun was about to set, so they packed up and headed back into the castle for dinner. They awkwardly said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Draco suddenly stopped and turned back around. "Hey!"

Iris quickly spun around. "What?"

He quickly moved to her and spoke quietly. "Could we maybe practice again tomorrow? After breakfast?"

"Hmm." She brought her hand to her chin and stroked her invisible beard. Then she resigned. "Well I guess since you behaved yourself today, we'll give it a go tomorrow."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Oh thanks," he smiled. "I'll meet you by the tree, then."

She nodded and turned back to see if her friends had returned from Hogsmeade. She spotted them and ran over to them as Draco watched her briefly, then walked over to his own table with a small smile.

_

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	5. The Pondering

_Disclaimer: I own nothing except Iris and the plot._

* * *

Iris sat against the shady tree alone, her mind and her thoughts miles away. She looked straight ahead of her towards the shining, clear surface of the lake some yards away, then looked up to the bright blue, cloudless sky above her. She leaned her head against the tree and sighed inwardly. _Something's missing…_ she unconsciously thought to herself.

A moving pair of bare feet appeared from the corner of her eye and she turned her head to regard the approaching figure. It was Luna, dressed in her usual eccentric garments and bright orange flowers wrapped in her hair. She smiled down at Iris and Iris returned the smile.

"Enjoying the beautiful day, Iris?"

Iris confirmed with a nod. "Indeed. It's surprisingly marvelous today for the season." She inhaled the sweet scents of nature and clear skies to add to her gratification.

"That it is." Her toes squished happily into the fresh grass.

Iris smiled gently. "So what's up, Luna?"

"I came to ask if you would like to run lines tonight after dinner."

"That would be great, Luna. I don't believe I have any other homework to do, so that should work."

Luna grinned serenely. "Lovely. I'll meet you in the common room after dinner, then."

Iris nodded with a smile and Luna drifted off to examine the exotic flowers across the way. Iris smiled to herself and lifted her eyes back up to the sky, her smile slowly fading. _There's something missing, but I can't quite place it…_

Giving up on her pondering, she stretched her legs across the grass and pulled her arms over her head and gave a large yawn. Placing her feet on the ground, she pulled herself up and headed back to the castle. As she walked, her thoughts began to consume her again and she soon found herself wandering through the castle hallways aimlessly. Her paced slowed as her thoughts raced, her fingers gliding along the smooth stone as she walked alongside the pillars.

_

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_

_I'm sorry, I really have no idea for this portion of the story. I was writing one day and I had a lot on my mind, and this is what came up. If I can't find something to correlate with this section, I may just cut it out. If you have any opinions or ideas about it, please let me know! =]  
_


	6. The Phantom Finale

_Disclaimer: I own nothing except Iris and the plot._

* * *

Iris looked between the two men before her, utterly torn from the heart. Draco watched her expectantly, his eyes full of anger and longing simultaneously. She turned to Harry, his face blotched from the noose and shining with hopefulness and apologies. Tears forming in her eyes, she attempted a small smile of apology towards Harry, not finding the right words to say to him. He looked back at her with a confused face as she turned her attention to Draco.

_Pitiful creature of darkness_

_ What kind of life have you known?_

Iris began closing the space between her and Draco as the tears streaked down her fair cheeks. Draco froze where he stood, unsure of her actions. His heart thumped erratically within his chest as she approached.

_God give me courage to show you_

_ You are not alone!_

She didn't know what compelled her to kiss him, but she brought her lips to his without a second thought. Her hands closed around his face while her lips moved against his with intense passion. Draco was stunned into place, only his lips moving of their own accord. They kissed Iris's lips with equal intensity.

The kiss seemed to go on for eternity, until Iris heard the swelling of the music cease. She pulled back and watched Draco's face earnestly, searching for some shred of hope. He remained rooted to the spot, unable to form words as the tears trailed down his mangled face. Tears continued to run down her own cheeks and she searched his eyes for some sign of emotion. Draco silently pulled himself together and turned from Iris.

"Take him! Forget me! Forget all of this!"

She watched him stalk away from her, almost tempted to chase after him.

"Leave me alone! Forget all you've seen!"

Iris stared until she forced herself to move and help Harry free himself.

"Go now! Don't let them find you!"

Iris and Harry struggled with the ropes for what seemed like forever.

"Take the boat. Swear to me never to tell! The secret you know of the angel of Hell!"

After the last rope was removed, Harry pulled Iris into his arms and stroked her hair. Still catching his breath, Harry placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Go now! Go now and leave me!"

Draco stalked into his chambers and dropped to the floor in front of his music box. He turned the key and watched the monkey play his cymbals with a sad smile.

_Masquerade_

_Paper faces on parade_

_Masquerade_

_Hide your face so the world will never find you_

The monkey stilled and Draco looked up to see Iris standing in his doorway. She regarded him with sad eyes. His eyes stared into hers, full of longing and hopelessness.

_Christine, I love you_

She silently approached him and took his hand in hers, never looking from his eyes. When she returned his hand, he saw the glint of the ring laying in it. Tears formed in his eyes again and he fought to hold them back as he looked back up at her. She continued to gaze into his eyes as she backed away and exited the room.

Draco let out a sigh and stared down at the shining ring in his hand. From a distance, he could hear Harry and Iris singing to each other as they made their way across the water.

_Say you love me every waking moment_

_Say the word and I will follow you_

The tears dropped from his eyes as Draco stood up and watched the couple float away. Christine turned her face back towards him.

_Share each day with me, each night, each morning_

Draco continued to stare as they disappeared from view. He could barely speak anymore.

_You alone can make my song take flight_

Clutching the ring, he turned on his heels toward his mirrors.

_It's over now, the music of the night!_

He picked up a goblet and began smashing all the mirrors, trying to beat away his own reflection. He broke through the last one and disappeared through it, dropping the goblet on his way. As he disappeared, Luna trudged forward through the water and searched the lair for some form of life. She walked around and spotted a white mask lying on the bed. She picked it up and examined it, then looking around her again, stood up and flew from the Phantom's lair.

* * *

The lights went down and the curtains closed before them as the entire audience erupted into applause. Iris grinned and closed her eyes, taking in the beautiful sound of it. She turned toward Harry and he met her grin with one of his own, picking her up and spinning her in place.

The curtains opened again and the entire ensemble came out and bowed to the audience. One by one, each character came out to take their bow. Harry and Iris ran out together, hand in hand, and bowed before the cheering audience, who had erupted into a standing ovation. Harry pulled his hand from Iris's to acknowledge her and she curtsied low before the audience. Standing up, she mouthed "thank you" as Draco came running down the center from backstage. The audience somehow grew louder as Draco took his bow and held his hands out in gratitude. Taking a few steps back, he took Iris's hand in his own, refusing to take Harry's hand, and all the cast members bowed in unison. Iris and Harry held their hands out to the orchestra before him and gave them a round of applause. Once more, the cast took hands and bowed before the curtains closed again.

_

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	7. The Meaning

_Disclaimer: I own nothing except Iris and the plot._

* * *

She just could not fathom that kiss!

_Okay, I know it was in the script and I was supposed to kiss him and everything, but that wasn't a stage kiss! We hadn't even practiced the stage kiss…_

Though she would never openly admit it, she did in fact enjoy the kiss very much. She unconsciously wondered if Draco enjoyed the kiss as much as she did…

"Only one way to find out."

"GAH!" Iris fell to the floor in utter shock and surprise. An amused chuckle was heard a couple of feet away. Iris pulled herself back up into her chair and glared into Draco's icy gray eyes with fiery malice.

"What, no sense of humor today?" He drawled. His smirk teased her.

She scoffed. "Not for you. And besides, I wasn't even talking to you, so go bother someone else." She turned her attention back to her homework.

Draco grinned with amusement. "Obviously, you don't know that I can read minds, miss."

Iris froze. Slowly, her eyes moved to look into his. He smirked and tapped his head. "Telepathy comes in handy sometimes."

She stared at him, dumbfounded. "…How much did you hear?"

He leaned towards her, his smirk still in place. "Enough."

Iris could have died right there. Draco Malfoy could read her thoughts. Damn, damn, damn!

Draco chuckled, watching her with his probing eyes. Rolling her eyes, Iris scoffed again, much louder this time, and stood up, gathering her stuff and stomping away. Immediately, she heard hurried footsteps behind her. She huffed and turned around to face him.

"What? What do you want?"

He watched her with a sudden intensity. "I want to know the truth."

She sighed. "About what? That you're an asshole? I thought that was obvious enough." She started to turn away when he caught her arm with a firm hand.

"Not funny." He looked down into her eyes. "I have to know if that was real…"

"If what was real?" She struggled in vain to pull herself from Draco's strong grip.

"You know what. No one can kiss someone that passionately without feeling strongly for them."

Iris rolled her eyes, finally able to pull away from him. "Oh please, Malfoy! It was in the script!"

She began walking away again before he moved in front of her to block her way. "I'm not stupid, Iris." Her heart skipped a beat when she heard him say her Christian name. "I know enough about theatre to know that they would not have a real kiss between people onstage. They do staged kisses."

"We never even rehearsed the kiss, and I've never been taught how to stage kiss!"

He grabbed her upper arms. "That doesn't matter! What matters is the meaning behind it!"

"There was no meaning behind it!" She tried to push against his chest. "Let me go, Malfoy!"

His grip tightened, though not enough to bruise her. "I don't believe that, Iris!"

She continued to struggle against him. "Why do you care, anyway? You hate me! You hate me and you hate my friends! Why does this matter so much to you?"

Draco stilled, his hands still on her arms. "Dear girl…" he whispered softly. "You don't even know?..."

Iris opened her mouth to question his last comment, but was stopped short by Draco's lips on hers. His lips were light and gentle, but she still pushed against his chest, trying to get away. His arms slowly wrapped around her middle and her hands quieted and rested against his firm chest. Her lips moved gently against his own and she leaned into him. Draco placed a hand against her cheek, keeping his kisses gentle and chaste, never demanding anything more from her.

Slowly, he pulled himself away and looked down into her deep eyes. She looked up at him and smiled gently, before stomping her foot onto his. Draco took a sharp intake of breath and grabbed his foot in pain as Iris stared down at him coldly. Her last words before she stormed off left him dismayed:

"I could never have feelings for a Death Eater."

Draco watched her leave with bewildered eyes and dropped to the floor, thankful that no one was around to see his weak moment. His heart felt like it had dropped into his stomach, his mind so muddled with thoughts and ideas of Iris that he felt sick. His eyes dropped to the floor and he shook his head. A slight burning sensation on his forearm caught his attention and he pulled his sleeve up to examine the slithering tattoo on his skin. He sighed and suddenly had the urge to cry, though he never would cry in public. Being the Phantom was the only time he could show as much emotion as he wanted to. Other than that, nothing but indifference; merely a show for anyone watching.

Draco sighed again and he thought to himself, _It's such a curse…_

_

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_


	8. The Surprise

_Disclaimer: I own nothing except Iris and the plot._

* * *

"It's rotten luck. Who'd have thought that Harry would catch Wizard Flu the morning of the big Quidditch game?"

Ron and Hermione were walking through the courtyard after visiting Harry in the Hospital Wing. Ron shoved his fists into his pockets and kicked his feet in the dirt bitterly.

"It's alright, Ron." Hermione attempted to comfort him. "The Quidditch Cup isn't a real big loss. You'll get it next year. You have the best team in Hogwarts!"

"Except we lost it to Slytherin! Malfoy will never let me live it down." He scoffed. "Bloody Malfoy." He felt a shove against his shoulder and caught sight of Crabbe and Goyle barreling by, looking back at Ron and snorting victoriously.

"Too bad, Weasley!" Crabbe shouted over his shoulder. "Slytherin always deserves the best. Guess we finally put you Gryffindors in your place!"

They sauntered off, chuckling the whole way. Ron was seething. "Yeah, you keep walking, you bloody cowards!"

Hermione tugged on his arm. "Ron, get off it. It's no good to waste your time with them and get yourself into trouble." She turned to the two goons and spoke quite loudly. "They know they can't win a game without cheating."

Crabbe caught her words and stopped, turning back to face Hermione. "What did you say, Mudblood?"

Ron stepped in front of Hermione. "You heard her, you dim-witted trolls! If Harry hadn't gotten sick, we would've wiped the floor with you within seconds!"

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that, traitor."

Hermione side-stepped to give them a hard look. "You're just jealous because you know Ron is much more of a man than you'll ever be."

With that, she pulled on Ron's arm and walked off in the other direction. As they moved across the grass, Draco approached the courtyard, intending on joining the two loggers for dinner. Why he still bothered with them, he had no idea. He could very well take care of himself.

He suddenly caught sight of a retreating Ron and Hermione; he noted Ron's red face and balled fists. He looked across the courtyard and saw Crabbe and Goyle. He noticed Goyle pulling on Crabbe, who was pulling his wand out of his pocket.

_What the hell...?_

"Crabbe, don't!"

"Filthy Mudblood!"

_Oh, bugger._ He whipped out his wand at breakneck speed and aimed it at Crabbe.

"Avada-"

"Expelliarmus!"

Crabbe flew back and landed on the ground with a thud. Ron and Hermione watched him, confused. He sat up, dazed, and stared at his empty hand in confusion. Goyle nudged his shoulder and he looked up to see Draco on the far side, lowering his wand. He turned to Ron and Hermione and gave them a curt nod. Hermione stared briefly and nodded back, then dragged away a stunned Ron. He turned back to Crabbe and Goyle, who gaped at him with dropped jaws, like he had grown a second head.

"Go."

Crabbe opened his mouth to protest, but found his throat was dry. Goyle stuttered on his words.

"Don't ask questions, just go!"

Immediately snapping to attention, Goyle lifted Crabbe up by the arms and pushed him towards the Great Hall.

Shaking his head, he pushed his wand back into his pocket and looked up to see Iris standing on the other side of the courtyard. She stared at him unblinkingly, with an unreadable expression. He watched her intently trying to read her face, when his view was obscured by a black figure. He refocused his eyes to a thin-lipped McGonagall, who then escorted him to her classroom.

* * *

_Thank Merlin she didn't give me detention. She better not tell anyone about this._

As Draco walked out of McGonagall's room, he noticed Hermione by the wall, seemingly waiting for him. He approached her awkwardly.

"I just wanted to say thanks for earlier," she kept her eyes down, secretly wishing to run away.

He shook his head. "Forget it. I just-"

"You don't need to explain." She held up her palm. "I know why you did it." She smiled slyly and walked away, leaving him befuddled.

* * *

Iris stared down at the shimmery water below her, the wind rushing through her hair, sending chills through her body. Her rich brown hair whipped across her flushed cheeks and tickled her nose. Closing her eyes, she saw a streak of bright blonde hair cross behind her eyelids and smiled to herself.

She was in love with him, though she would never admit it to him, or anyone for that matter. She chuckled and shook her head as she imagined her friends' reactions to her confession. Hermione would look worried, Harry would be shocked, and Ron would double over in laughter, thinking it was a joke. She sighed sadly, imagining how difficult it would be to explain it to her friends.

"You alright, Iris?"

Iris started, nearly falling from her perch on the bridge into the water. She spun her head around to see Hermione standing over her with a crease between her eyebrows. Iris smiled at her assuredly.

"I'm fine, trust me. I just have a lot of things on my mind."

"Missing home?"

Iris chuckled softly. "A little, but that's not what's plaguing my thoughts." She looked down at her hands as she fidgeted with them. She felt Hermione sit across from her, keeping her eyes on her hands.

"Would you like to talk about it?" Hermione asked, a smile in her voice.

Iris laughed on the inside. "I don't think you would believe if I told you."

She looked up and Hermione was smiling gently. "Try me."

She sighed, trying to think of where to start. After much contemplation, she spoke.

"Have you ever had feelings, like really strong feelings for someone, and you know it's someone that you really shouldn't have any feelings for, but you can't help how you feel about them and it's so frustrating and confusing because you don't even know who to talk to because no one could ever possibly understand?"

By the time she had finished her sentence, her voice had picked up speed and volume until she spoke so fast she had to catch her breath. Hermione watched her catch her breath with a knowing glint in her eyes.

"Might this possibly involve a certain blonde-haired Slytherin?"

Iris looked up at her in shock. "How—how did you know?"

Hermione chuckled. "Iris, I may keep my nose in the books, but I still have a woman's intuition. If you had any less sense, you would be staring at him consistently with your tongue lolling out of your mouth and drool running down your chin."

Iris laughed in spite of herself and shook her head in shame. "I don't understand it, Hermione. I mean, he's selfish and arrogant and egotistical and obnoxious and deceitful, and yet I can't get him out of my head! Especially after the show…"

Hermione contemplated this before speaking. "It's true that that is the side of him that we see, but it could all be superficial and not really who he is."

Iris watched Hermione's face, trying to understand what she just said. Hermione noticed this and explained further.

"Maybe all of those attributes are just on the surface and what he wants people to see. I have this feeling that if you took the time to get to know him, you will find traits in him that you would never think he would have."

Iris absorbed her words and looked at her skeptically.

"And this is coming from the Muggle-born who receives nothing but insults and threats from him?"

She shrugged. "Who knew I could be so reasonable?"

Iris let out an easy laugh as Hermione joined in her laughter. Their echoing laughter gradually died down and Iris watched Hermione as a thought struck her head.

"Hermione, I think I caught a glimpse of another side of him after the performance. It's so surreal to me now, but I could swear that I saw actual desperation in his eyes…"

Hermione pondered this for a moment, then looked Iris straight in the eye. "You need to talk to him."

Iris gaped at her. "Serious? What could I possibly say?"

She shrugged. "What you told me. Tell him how you feel."

She shook her head. "I can't."

"Listen, Iris. I know you're scared, but honestly, you've got nothing to worry about. I know he likes you. You've got nothing to lose."

Iris sat there, deep in thought. _What Hermione said does make sense...But how do I tell him?..._

After some time, Iris lifted her head and smiled at Hermione, the look of steady determination shining on her face.

_

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Please review! =]__  
_


	9. The Pent Up Feelings

_Disclaimer: I own nothing except Iris and the plot._

* * *

Looking across the castle grounds, Iris spotted a silver-haired man leaning against a large oak tree, staring out over the vast, shining lake. He kept one hand sheathed in the front pocket of his trousers while the other hand rested against the bark of the tree, keeping him balanced. His body expanded and shrunk as he let out a sigh, and Iris smiled to herself, slowly approaching him.

Sensing her presence, Draco spoke. "There's something about the way the sun hits the water just right. It's very tranquil. Helps clear the mind and let you ponder life's little trifles."

Just as Iris moved to place a hand on his shoulder, Draco turned around to face her. His eyes moved over her gentle face and smiling eyes, and gave her a small smile. Her eyes studied his carefully.

"I can't even fathom what would inspire you to do such a thing. For a Muggle born, no less." She watched his face earnestly, praying with all her soul that he would continue being honest with her.

Draco gave a light chuckle, lifting his hand to run it gently along her blushing cheek. Iris smiled in response, closing her eyes and leaning into his touch. "Iris, you must understand that I never intended to follow the Dark Lord or buy into all the prejudice nonsense that my father had drilled into me since I was a young boy."

Iris's smiled faltered, imagining the harsh childhood Draco had suffered, his cruel father acting as a slave driver to toughen him up. Tears began stinging in her eyes at the thought. Draco saw this and his heart dropped. He pulled her into his embrace and stroked her soft, dark hair.

"Shh, it's okay, love. Don't cry. Everything's alright."

Iris closed her eyes against his chest as he cooed her softly. She sniffled lightly and looked up into his face.

"If you didn't buy into it, then why did you torture Hermione so much for her Muggle heritage?"

Draco sighed. "Image. It was all part of upholding the family's honor. If I had gone soft, word would get around to my father and he would punish me. Not that I hadn't received punishment for other things."

Iris sniffed again into his chest and Draco held her tighter. "I hated it, Iris. I hated myself every time I saw the hurt in someone's eyes and on their face. I hated myself for not having the courage to stand up against my father." He gritted his teeth and resisted the urge to pull his hands into fists. The pent-up anger he held for his father was beginning to seep up to the surface. He pulled away from Iris and stared into the ground. Iris watched him patiently.

"I was so naïve as a child, I gave into whatever my father told me," Draco spoke to the ground. "Mother never said a word; she wasn't allowed to. She could only stand back and let the father do his job. I just went along with everything he said. I didn't know any better and I just wanted his approval. Then I came here and encountered Muggle-borns for the first time. After a while, I started to doubt what my father told me, especially when I realized that your blood and your heritage doesn't affect who you are. It's all the same!"

Iris kept her head down, watching Draco through her lashes. He attempted to calm himself by taking slow, deep breaths. Then he lifted his head to catch her eyes with his.

"I never had the courage to confront my father and stand up for myself, until I met you."

Iris lifted her head and met his gaze straight-on. He took a few steps to close the gap between them and brought his hand back to her cheek.

"So much fire in you, yet still so gentle ad kind. No one else like you has ever tried knowing me as a person, not even those in my own house. No one else has shown me forgiveness like you have, and I can't even begin to explain to you what you have done for me and how grateful I am to you."

Iris's heart warmed as she heard his words, and her lips spread into a beautiful smile. She looked into his eyes and let out a little chuckle.

Draco smiled. "What is it?"

She shook her head. "Nothing."

"Tell me, please?"

"Okay, but you have to promise you won't make fun of me!"

He laughed. "I would never make fun of you."

Iris raised an eyebrow and Draco resigned. "Okay, fine. I won't make fun of you _anymore_."

She chuckled. "Okay, good."

"Now tell me!"

"Fine!" She laughed, taking his hands. "So you know that kiss at the end of the show?"

Draco pretended to ponder this. "No," he said simply. She nudged him in the stomach and he smiled. "Of course I do. How could I possibly forget?" He grinned. "What about it?"

Iris blushed and let her shyness get the best of her. "Thm wh my fsh khs."

Draco strained his ear, attempting to decipher her mumblings. "Sorry, dear?"

She mumbled a bit louder.

"Iris, I can't understand you. Speak up, silly."

She shuffled her feet in the grass, then spoke in a quiet voice. "That was my first kiss..."

Draco stood there staring at the top of her head. He wasn't quite expecting to hear that, then again, he didn't really know what he was expecting her to say. He smiled and raised her chin with his forefinger.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are utterly adorable?" He stared into her bright blue eyes and watched her cheeks flush even more.

She stammered. "Wh-wha? That's it? You-You're not weirded out or anything?"

"Of course not! Why would I be?"

"Well I mean...Most people have their first kiss by the time they're twelve, right? Doesn't that make me defective or something?"

He chuckled and gently grasped her small hands with his own. "I think that's what makes you so extraordinary. You're not like everyone else."

She shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I just don't want to be like other people. And to be honest, I was waiting for the right person." Her cheeks were burning.

Draco's heart skipped a beat. _No one would ever say that about me..._

"And you really think that person is me? You don't think you wasted it?" He suddenly felt unsure; he'd been feeling that quite frequently lately. It was a frightening, new feeling.

Iris shook her head, grinning from ear to ear. "It wasn't a waste at all."

Draco beamed and gently kissed her cheek. "As I said before, unlike anyone else."

"Is that right?" She looked at him playfully.

"Of course! I'm a Malfoy! What I say, goes!" He stamped his foot petulantly and Iris erupted into laughter, with Draco joining in. Soon after their peals of laughter faded, they began making their way across the grounds to dinner, hand in hand.

* * *

_This is my entire collection so far of the story. I have a few more ideas, but I'm still figuring out how to put it into the right words._

_Please please PLEASE write me a review, and tell me what you think about it and any ideas you would have to add to it or fix it or make it better or whatever. Feedback of any sort would be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you so much. =]_


	10. To My Readers

Heyy guys, sorry for the false update. I know, I know. I hate when people do this too, but this is crucial. I've been tweaking current chapters here and there to make them better, but I really really REALLY want to add another chapter except I'm drawing a blank. I have some idea about how to progress the story, but not enough to write a whole new chapter. If you guys could find it in your hearts to share some ideas with me, that would be FANTASTIC. No joke, I want to hear your ideas because they're probably better than mine. Not even kidding. I started this story with absolutely no idea how I was going to finish it because I'm terrible at coming up with plot lines and what not.

So please please please please please please PLEASE write me a review or write me a message with anything you can come up with. I like little things to add to the story to make it interesting, but I really need important stuff as well. I know you guys are creative; you all write fantastic stories. Please share anything you can with me and I will be forever grateful. I will do my absolute best to give you guys a treat for helping me out and trying finishing the story one of these days. I'm sorry this was a lot to read, but trust me, it'll be worth it. Thanks so much, I love you guys.


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